José Rizal (1861–1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer, and reformist whose life and works played a pivotal role in the Philippine struggle for independence from Spanish colonial rule. Born in Calamba, Laguna, to a well-educated and affluent family, he studied medicine and philosophy in Manila and Europe, becoming a prominent advocate for peaceful reform.

Rizal’s most influential contributions were his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which exposed the abuses and injustices of Spanish authorities and clergy in the Philippines. These works ignited a sense of national identity among Filipinos and laid the intellectual groundwork for the revolution. Although he promoted peaceful change, his writings deeply influenced the revolutionary movement.

In 1892, Rizal returned to the Philippines and founded La Liga Filipina, a reformist society, which led to his exile in Dapitan. Despite having no direct role in the armed revolution, he was arrested, tried for sedition, and executed on December 30, 1896. His martyrdom made him a national hero and symbol of Filipino resistance and pride.